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English & TV
Learn with THE NANNY
In this section, we analyze parts of the TV show script to learn and understand the use of daily English language.
Read the passages and try to understand them. Then, read the vocabulary explanation. Finally, read the passage again.
Move the mouse over the words in red to see the meaning.
From the episode 'Imaginary Friend'
FRAN: You don’t know what torture is. My sister played the zither. One time, my ears
actually bled.
MAGGIE: My teacher says I have nimble fingers.
NILES: You know, sign language is an excellent hobby.
FRAN: Be nice. You think Beethoven played perfect from the get-go?
GRACE: That dog played the piano?
FRAN: Not the dog. Ludwig Van. But his sister Helga never teased. And you think that was easy? All day long, with the ta-ta-ta-taaaa. Plus, they had no indoor plumbing.
BRIGHTON: I've never heard of Helga Beethoven.
FRAN: Sure, because women’s contribution to history is always swept under the rug.
MAGGIE: My teacher says I have nimble fingers.
NILES: You know, sign language is an excellent hobby.
FRAN: Be nice. You think Beethoven played perfect from the get-go?
GRACE: That dog played the piano?
FRAN: Not the dog. Ludwig Van. But his sister Helga never teased. And you think that was easy? All day long, with the ta-ta-ta-taaaa. Plus, they had no indoor plumbing.
BRIGHTON: I've never heard of Helga Beethoven.
FRAN: Sure, because women’s contribution to history is always swept under the rug.
| zither | cítara, instrumento de cuerdas. |
| actually | realmente. No debe confundirse con actualmente, que se dice nowadays, at present. |
| to bleed | sangrar. Las formas del pasado son bled, bled. |
| nimble | ágil, listo |
| sign language | lenguaje de señas |
| from the get-go | Expresión informal norteamericana que significa desde el principio. |
| to play the piano | tocar el piano |
| to tease | burlarse, tomarle el pelo |
| all day long | durante todo el día |
| plus | además |
| plumbing | sistema de cañerías o tuberías de agua |
| to hear | escuchar. Las formas del pasado son heard, heard. |
| to sweep something under the rug | Expresión coloquial que equivale a "esconder algo debajo de la alfombra", o sea, mantener algo en secreto. En inglés británico se dice to sweep something under the carpet. |
RECEPTIONIST: May I help you?
FRAN: What’s that supposed to mean? Sorry, it’s just that I’m kind of new at this whole therapy thing. Although, what am I worried about? I’m okay, you’re okay. Are they okay?
RECEPTIONIST: You must be a new patient.
FRAN: Me? A patient? What are you, nuts? Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I’m just here to pick up Gracie Sheffield.
RECEPTIONIST: Oh, you must be the new nanny.
FRAN: Fran Fine. I’m sort of Gracie’s role model. I’m sure she’s told you all
about me.
RECEPTIONIST: Anything Grace may have said about you is strictly confidential.
FRAN: What’s that supposed to mean? Sorry, it’s just that I’m kind of new at this whole therapy thing. Although, what am I worried about? I’m okay, you’re okay. Are they okay?
RECEPTIONIST: You must be a new patient.
FRAN: Me? A patient? What are you, nuts? Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I’m just here to pick up Gracie Sheffield.
RECEPTIONIST: Oh, you must be the new nanny.
FRAN: Fran Fine. I’m sort of Gracie’s role model. I’m sure she’s told you all
about me.
RECEPTIONIST: Anything Grace may have said about you is strictly confidential.
| May I help you? | ¿Lo puedo ayudar? |
| What's that supposed to mean? | ¿Qué se supone que significa eso? |
| kind of new | algo nueva, como nueva |
| this whole therapy thing | Expresión coloquial que significa "todo esto de la terapia, este tema de la terapia" |
| although | aunque |
| to be worried about something | preocuparse por algo. Notar el uso de la preposición about. |
| to be nuts | Expresión informal que significa "estar loco". Otras formas son to be bananas, to be mad, to be nutty. Para aprender más. ver Ways of saying "You're crazy". |
| to pick up somebody | recoger a alguien |
| sort of | una especie de, una clase de, como un |
| role model | modelo de conducta |
| may have said | haya podido decir |
| strictly confidential | estrictamente confidencial |
DR. BORT: Grace, I want you to think, was it really Fran’s fault?
GRACE: You mean, because Imogene was just my pretend friend?
DR. BORT: That’s right. And maybe you didn’t want to play with her anymore.
GRACE: Yeah, she was starting to get on my nerves.
DR. BORT: But what’s the real reason you don’t need Imogene anymore?
GRACE: 'Cause now I have Fran.
FRAN: I’m speechless!
MAXWELL: This is a miracle.
DR. BORT: No, it’s really a common psychological occurrence.
MAXWELL: No, the miracle is her being speechless!
FRAN: Oh, I feel so much better.
GRACE: Me too.
FRAN: Maybe this whole therapy thing isn’t such a crock.
DR. BORT: Oh, thank you, Miss Fine.
GRACE: You mean, because Imogene was just my pretend friend?
DR. BORT: That’s right. And maybe you didn’t want to play with her anymore.
GRACE: Yeah, she was starting to get on my nerves.
DR. BORT: But what’s the real reason you don’t need Imogene anymore?
GRACE: 'Cause now I have Fran.
FRAN: I’m speechless!
MAXWELL: This is a miracle.
DR. BORT: No, it’s really a common psychological occurrence.
MAXWELL: No, the miracle is her being speechless!
FRAN: Oh, I feel so much better.
GRACE: Me too.
FRAN: Maybe this whole therapy thing isn’t such a crock.
DR. BORT: Oh, thank you, Miss Fine.
| fault | culpa |
| you mean | quiere decir |
| pretend friend | amigo imaginario |
| yeah | Forma coloquial de yes (sí) |
| to get on somebody's nerves | Expresión coloquial que equivale a "ponerle los nervios de punta a alguien" |
| 'cause | Forma coloquial de because (porque) |
| I'm speechless! | ¡No sé qué decir! La expresión to be speechless significa quedarse mudo, sin habla. |
| miracle | milagro |
| a common occurrence | algo común, un acontecimiento frecuente |
| a crock | Expresión informal norteamericana que equivale a "mera palabrería, una tontería". |
The scripts and the images are copyright. They are used here for educational purposes only.